Artists to Watch | Amanda Cowan - Southwest Art Magazine

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Amanda Cowan, A New World’s Born at Dawn, oil, 16 x 20.

Amanda Cowan is not an outside observer of western life—she has firsthand experience with the subjects and scenery she portrays. Living on a ranch with her husband in southwestern Wyoming for the past 10 years, Cowan has been riding horses behind cattle in every season of life and has an intrinsic connection to the land. As a child growing up on a farm in central Utah, she spent most of her time outdoors and learned to draw by sketching cows, horses, and other animals.

This innate love of the West brings authenticity to Cowan’s paintings. A self-taught artist working in both oil and watercolor, she paints cowboys, cowgirls, ranchers, and animals as only someone intensely familiar with that lifestyle can. Her intimate portrayals often appear in front of dramatic, big-sky backdrops—the pastel pinks of early sunrise, golden-purple sunsets, or the steely grays of coming storms—enriching the scenes with a strong sense of place.

: Amanda Cowan, Early Morning Puddles, oil, 20 x 16.

: Amanda Cowan, Rattled, oil, 20 x 16.

: Amanda Cowan, Independent Woman, oil, 30 x 24.

Cowan is captivated by the dance between sky and land but is even more keen on capturing the relationship between man and animal. “Animals are such a huge part of my life, of so many people’s lives, and I can’t think of anything better than being able to spend my days capturing their light,” she says. “I love the ranch life and observing the relationships that can develop between animals and humans.”

Although Cowan travels regularly to participate in regional and national juried shows—including Cowgirl Up!, the Phippen Museum Western Art Show & Sale, and the America’s Horse in Art Show & Sale, where she won the Steeldust Award in 2018—when she’s home on the ranch, she doesn’t have to look far for inspiration. “It is such a blessing to be able to work at home, and then to be able to travel around the country going to different art shows,” she says. “I am so blessed to live in a place where I am surrounded by the things I love and the things I love to paint.” –Allison Malafronte